11 things about Charlie Wilson
1. Wilson was born in Bridgeport, Ohio, Jan. 18, 1943.
2. He graduated from Ohio University and the Cincinnati College of Mortuary Science.
3. The Wilson family has been in the funeral and furniture businesses for almost 100 years. Wilson himself has been the president of Wilson Funeral & Furniture Co. Inc. since 1966, and the owner of Wilson Realty Co. since 1979.
4. He has four sons and eight grandchildren.
5. He drives Cadillacs — one blue, one gold — and wears designer Serengeti sunglasses and monogrammed shirts.
6. His political career began when he was elected to the Ohio state House of Representatives, where he served from 1996 to 2004.
7. Wilson was then elected to the Ohio state Senate, earning the endorsement of the Ohio Right to Life Committee.
8. After deciding to run for the U.S. House of Representatives, Wilson failed to collect the 50 signatures necessary to qualify for the primary. He collected over 90 signatures, but over half were disqualified, most because they came from outside the congressional district. The misstep forced Wilson to replace his campaign manager/spokesman, his son Jason Wilson, with a more experienced politico.
9. Wilson ran as a write-in candidate for the Democratic primary.
10. He is backed by the current Rep. Ted Strickland, who is vacating his seat to run for governor, as well as by a dozen Democratic county chairmen and the Ohio Democratic Party.
11. Wilson won the Democratic primary in early May; he faces state Rep. Chuck Blasdel in the general election.
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